Derek - Peter Jackson! In this, his first film, he is: Producer, Director, Actor, Makeup Artist, and Writer. Derek is a wonderfully violent and nerdy bugger with some revolutionary ideas in the field of brain surgery. Member of the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service, last seen on his way to the alien's home planet.

Barry - Member of the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service, spends lots of time suffering his way through being splattered with blood and entrails.

Frank - Seems to be the leader of the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service, also sings the title song.

Ozzy - Final member of the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service, a little on the weird/violent side.

Giles - Hapless collector who is almost eaten.

Robert - A retarded alien, played by Peter Jackson!

Alien Leader - Concealed in the guise of a old man most of the movie, he finally bursts into his horrid "true" form under duress. Sort of looks like a pregnant Rogaine ad. Derek bores through him with the chainsaw.

The Plot:

This is what bad movies are all about folks, I'm talking a couple of blokes, some chicken guts, automatic weapons, and aliens eating people! All written/produced/directed/acted/SFX'd by a budding Peter Jackson, it's almost a shame we lost him to work on "The Lord of the Rings" and other Tolkien works. The plot is simple and nicely executed, considering the budget they were under it's almost poetry.

Derek, Barry, Frank, and Ozzy are all members of New Zealand's premiere alien butt kicking unit: the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service. When a town is attacked and butchered by aliens (who intend to market humans as fast food) they are put into action. Abe's Oddysee ripped off this movie so bad it hurts.

The team is very human, several aliens take Barry by surprise and he only escapes certain death on account of his teammate. Derek is busy torturing Robert, thereby causing a good deal of alien screaming, and the ruckus brings every bastard in earshot running. What follows is almost a ballet of gore and clumsiness, at the end of which Derek plummets off the cliff and onto uncomfortable looking rocks. He's not dead, but royally screwed up since a chunk of his mind falls out at regular intervals.

Meanwhile, a charity collector happens into the area, and is soon scooped up by the aliens for a victory feast. His rescue dominates a good portion of the team's efforts as they sneak in, dump out the vat he is being marinated in, then try to leave quietly. Fat chance! The boys are quickly embroiled in a messy gun battle with dozens of inept aliens and Ozzy couldn't be happier. (Ozzy is a psychopath, okay?)

Derek pulls himself together and jury rigs a couple of ways to keep his head together before embarking on a chainsaw rampage. The aliens are completely outmatched by the sheer insanity of the four saviors of the Earth (and the moon), they attempt an escape velocity retreat. Poor schmucks, it is too late when the leader realizes he has a Derek on board.

"Bad Taste" has multiple reasons for recommendation. Some are a little extreme, like Frank having to "drink some chuck" (vomit, he ends up having to guzzle vomit) and a sheep being struck by a light anti-tank weapon.

Frank: "I knew it was a mistake to issue weapons, we're a government department not a paramilitary unit." Derek: "Yeah, the Astro-Investigation and Defense Service." Ozzy: "Wish we'd change that name."

Absolutely amazing film. Peter Jackson is a gift to Horror/Comedy's. Gore, action, comedy you name it this film has it. I bought the video cheap from a sale and i have watched it countless times still laughing at the infamous scene with the green goo drinking and when they kill one of the aliens and he says 'I've just cleaned there'. Personnaly Brain dead [Aka Alive-Dead] was better but still its a Must Watch film if you are a fan of Peter Jackson.

Cheated!!!! I feel CHEATED. I trusted the comments, which many of you left in regards to this movie, as well as the great comments left by the Badmovies.org creator. Every other time I had purchased movies off this site I have found them to be incredible, such as with THE STORY OF RICKY and DEAD ALIVE (WHICH ARE MY FAVOURITE MOVIES) but this piece of filth was terrible, and I cant understand why you all enjoyed it? The story was slow, the violence was boring and for one of the first times in my life I actually stopped the movie near the end and said "To hell with this" and walked away. My hard earned money was wasted...sadly. I would advise that anyone else thinking of purchasing this to think again and choose from another one from this amazing site!!I will watch this movie again to see if I will enjoy it the second time.

Everyone must see this Peter Jackson debut, a real 'stinker'..Which in b-movies means of course a really good flick, which is what Bad Taste is! It was a bit different than I thought at first, but it sure was great! Everybody, this is a movie you have to see! Even the videocassette-cover tells it all, an alien with a Kalashnkikov giving you the finger with an evil grin on it's face. Oh yeah!

I'm a huuuuggeee Peter Jackson Fan!!! Bad Taste is the first of his movies to enter my collection! Derek was an automatic favorite of mine who couldn't exist without the acting talents of peter jackson. You really have to respect a guy who made his whole creature supply in his mum's oven. If you love this movie as much as me leave me a message on instant messager at braindead dm!!!

I first got hipped to "Bad Taste" thru Rick Sullivan's reviews on the first and only "Gorgon Video Magazine" way back in '88 or so - Four Skulls, highest rating. My VHS copy was so popular that a "friend" sort of "borrowed" it. Then on Halloween '98 I saw a different version at an "art house" in the University District of Seattle, which had one brief gore scene that wasn't on the video version.Anyway, I've seen "Bad Taste" at least twelve times - I love it. It's one of the most inventive, original and uproarious splatter films EVER! It's required viewing for anyone in my orbit, along with "Street Trash," "Daughter of Horror," and "Spider Baby." I have yet to see Jackson's "Heavenly Creatures," but I'm sure his upcoming "Lord of the Rings" films will be great.Stay Sick.

I finally saw BAD TASTE from an old Magnum Video copy. Unfortunately, alot of refference books claimed that the Magnum Video version was uncut and "Unrated". Sorry to say this but the books were wrong. Before the film started it had the R rating banner on the film. Basically, if the film was released with the "Unrated", and BAD TASTE was issued in limited theatres with the "Unrated", then it would not have the R rating banner on it. Magnum picked up a cut R print that was released in more domesticated theatres.

Nonetheless, I am now a Peter Jackson fan. Though BAD TASTE was shot on a gritty 16mm camera on a budget of $250,000, it just makes BAD TASTE look like TITANIC on a much more larger budget. The gore was fantastic as ever and the acting was good. The humor was even more authentic that the gore effects. BAD TASTE is played to be a parody and it all works. I just can't wait for Anchor Bay to release BAD TASTE on video and DVD. Now all I need to do is watch MEET THE FEEBLES and I will be all set. Also, I watched BAD TASTE and THE FRIGHTENERS all in one night and I feel that THE FRIGHTENERS is pretty good film from Mr. Jackson.

I don't love BAd Taste. I enjoyed it and have immense respect for P. Jackson. The movie is a funny gore film and that's it. Pleeeze don't call it art, chuckleheads. I think Jackson would give you a chainsaw enema for that sort of bollocks.